PacHoops - Colorado at Arizona Preview

[allbuffs]

By Adam Butler
www.PacHoops.com

One year ago, Goose wrote the rivalry manifesto, the Red Letter Game he called it. He pointed a defiant and determined finger to the southwest and declared the Arizona Wildcats the primary rivals of the Colorado Basket Buffaloes. The reasoning for his decree was simple: to be the best, onw must beat the best. So why not start taking swings at the 25 time conference champs, owners of a 25-consecutive Dances streak, and 1997 National Champions? Toss on the UCLA train wreck – why use that mess as a barometer for anything beyond a How Not To manual – and the general conference mediocrity (I use the term kindly) and by way of very simple rival seeking tactics, it’s easy for one to settle on the Wildcats.

Then the Buffs went ahead and beat them twice.

And that’s what I’m talking about. This conference needs a little more forget you and a lot less I hope I can. My high school baseball coach once told our group of wide-eyed and eager 17-year-olds that once you hope for a result, you’ve already lost. And then he made us run 45-minutes of stairs I sure as hell hoped would end. The point being, he wanted us to know we were going to win; and eventually we did. The Keg fills up because there’s an eager fan base expecting to win. And Tad’s teams have indeed won to the tune of 37-4 there. That indicates a group expecting to be victorious; a program willing to challenge any and all comers. I dig that. Good on Colorado because that’s indeed a program as Rumblin Buffalo stated.

But Thursday is The Program. The entity leading the westerly charge since 1984 and the school with the pieces to be a significant part of the conversation right into April. And beyond. Go ahead and harp on Arizona’s lack of a true point guard (and frankly name me a contending squad with one? Would any of you consider Dinwiddie a “true” point? No. But the kid does exactly what the team needs and fills the tin and the wins column. Hooray on Larry Drew II’s 10,000:1 A/T ratio; UCLA didn’t start playing well until they got the ball out of his and the rest of North Carolina’s hands and into Shabazz and Anderson’s mitts). If the “deficiencies” in Mark Lyons’ game are what you think softens the Wildcats, I present to you exhibits Florida and SDSU. I think they call those Onions. Also, he leads the team in the shot % and they have – oh – zero losses. So whatever he’s doing with the ball, I think we can agree it’s done well. Look, whatever you want to say about the ‘Cats the fact remains they’re undefeated and they are a helluva ball club. They present a barometric opportunity for any and all Pac-12 opponents to see how they stack up against one of the better teams in the country. As such, Arizona goes into every game they play expecting to win. A fact that should not make them unique.

There is absolutely nothing foregone about Thursday’s tilt because, as Goose called it, this is the Red Letter game. A year ago, Colorado had their pick of mega rivals, it was like the lineup at the Bunny Ranch except to go to battle. This time around? Well now it’s an engrained rivalry, a game with some context beyond the four corners, turquoise, and horse paintings. The Buffs can’t appreciate the attention the Wildcats garner despite CU being the defending champions. The Wildcats can’t really get down with being 1-2 against the Buffs a season ago. Thursday night, they’ll once again go toe-to-toe, writing another chapter in what should be a healthy – not bitter – rivalry.

And regardless of what happens, may the Sun Devils lose.

 

[Buffnik]

I like Miller a lot and I respect the hell out of Zona's program. Great hoops fans, too.

This is a different type of rivalry in the making for Buffs fans. I'll cheer for them to continue to be great and win their other games unless the Buffs need them to drop one to pass them in the standings or something. Is that a rivalry or is it more of a measuring stick? Right now, I think it's a measuring stick that could grow into a rivalry if CU continues to do its part by being in that top tier in the Pac-12 year after year.

The Pac-12 isn't like the SEC with Kentucky or the Big 12 with Kansas. It's not 1 team at the top of the mountain. It's more like the ACC where Zona and UCLA are like Duke and UNC. We need to crash that party to make this a 3-headed monster. And there's the potential that the Pac-12 could be more like the B1G (or the previous Big East), where there are a host of teams that are up there any given year. That's my hope - that UA, UCLA & CU become MSU, Indiana & OSU (or Syracuse, UConn & Georgetown) while we also have the Wisconsin/Illinois/Michigan/etc. (or Marquette/Pitt/Notre Dame/etc.) programs that can rise up with a Top 10 season every so often.

 

[shang]

Yeah baby!!! What 'nik and Junta said!!! So who's going to be in Tucson this Thursday? I'm in plus 2...

 

[Tempe_Buff]

in +1

 

[pachoops]

Buffnik. I think the Pac is poised - and built - to be a lot more like the B1G than the single headed monsters of the ACC and SEC. The spread out nature - geographically - opens the conference up to hoarding local talent as well is drawing from a bigger pool. The key is to beating out the SDSU's, Gonzagas, etc. to that talent.

I think CU and Oregon are poised to be perennial contenders and UW, Stanford, and Cal should be right there, too.

 

[Dark Bohner]

I agree with Nik. This doesn't feel remotely like Nebraska with the well deserved hatred of all things Red and Corn. I think we could really hitch our wagon to Arizona as a conference rival and elevate our program to a place where both programs are proud to compete with each other for the championship.

 

[Deleted member 807]

Yeah baby!!! What 'nik and Junta said!!! So who's going to be in Tucson this Thursday? I'm in plus 2...

in +1

take picks, do a fan write-up and and turn this into a TempeShang-vision outing. Those of us hundreds of miles away will rep you for repping and entertaining us.

 

[shang]

take picks, do a fan write-up and and turn this into a TempeShang-vision outing. Those of us hundreds of miles away will rep you for repping and entertaining us.

I finally figured out how to get allbuffs on my phone so will be posting live..

 

[Mick Ronson]

i like Miller....but let's get these guys. pick up where we left off last year.

Pac champs inna hizzouse.

 

[NashBuff]

Can't wait to watch this game on the 46" HDTV at the parent's home if my schedule permits.

Having UA as a conference rival was one of the reasons why I was excited for the Pac-10 move. Utah will eventually get there but I'm not feeling ASU at all.